Printing press



. W. M. KELLY PRINTING PRESS Dec. 19, 1944.

Filed Aug. 15, 1941 2 sheets-sweet 1 mumuu1mmanmwmnrmunwwummwmllllllllllllllllltlllllli INVENTOR W LLMM M. K5

BY A

' AT'II'ORNE Dec. 19, 1944.. KELLY 2,365,278

PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mlLlflM M AElLY A TTORN Y v Patented Dec.- 19, 1944 UNI-TED STATES PATENT I OFFICE rnrm'rme rnnss William M. Kelly, Westfield, N. J.- Application August 15, 1941, Serial No. 406,941 12 Claims. (01101- 214) Further, the

invention relates to a press of the character described wherein a bed impression cylinder rotates two revolutions in each cycle of the press to three revolutions of the rotary plate cylinder and ,its contacting impression. cylinder. Still further, theinvention relates to. the provision of a delivery mechanism having gripper meansfor' delivering theprinted sheet to a swingable delivery inwhich the sheets are piled. The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which certain-embodiments of the inventionare disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views; and in which:

v Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing parts, ofa press made according to my invention and indicating the general arrangement of said parts.

Fig. 1a is a diagrammatic view illustrating the gear train'drive between the cylinder shafts.

Fig. 2 is al diagrammatic view illustrating the initial feed of a sheet into apress; and,

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and '7 are views similar to Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrating the various steps v in the cycle of passing a sheet through the press in performing two operations thereon.

For the purppseofillustratingone adaptation of the-invention a flatbedlpressf of the general type and kind; as illustrated in myco-pending application Ser QNoCS 'ZLQOQ, filed December 20,

I940, isillustrated in part in Fig. 1 of the drawings, slight variations being indicated in adapting the press to the multi-operating press struc- 1ture forming thesnbject matter of this inven- In the art, and particularly in what is known as multi-op'eration printing presses, rotary printing cylinders-have been employed in connection with flat bed presses. In such designs, where the rotary for-m is impressed over theimpres 'to transfer the printed sheet from one unit to sion made by the flat bed form, they are lim,-' ited to spot printing, that is, the rotary form must be confined to-printing only inthe open spaces to avoid conflict of make-ready.

Some press designs employ rotary cylinders too small to accommodate a form equal tothe maxi mum fiat form. Other efforts to do two color printing arrange rotary forms in inaccessible con-' tact with the impression cylinder and in transfer turn the printed sheet over. To avoid smutting they suggest heated transfer drums.

These proposed press structures are objectionable from the standpoint of complicated press design, and inaccessability of the working parts of the press, and particularly due to unworkable elements.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a press employing an independent impression surface for each form; to use a two revolution impression cylinder for the fiatform and a three revolution impression 7 cylinder for the rotary form, each large enough for the maximum form;

I the other a complete rotary motion. A press of this kind lends itself to independent operations of the flat bed as well as the rotary unit, By I making the rotary cylinder demountable it also permits other operations than printing to be performed on the work sheet in its,, passage through the press. These presses may be constructed to perform any desired and independent function or operation upon the work sheet, including the double printing operation, which latter may be in two colors. It will also be apparent that, by tripping the ink mechanism of the rotary unit and by declut'chin'g the rotary demountable plate cylinder in any desired manner, a fiat bed unit'may be operated independently when a single printing. operation is all .that is desired, and in-like manner the rotary unit may I also be operatedindependently.

' It will be understood, that the diagrammatic illustration of the press in Fig. l of the accompanyingdrawings'is for purposes of illustrating one adaptation and use of the invention; and in thisfigure f0 represents parts of the press frame;

ll represents a drive shaft driven in any de-' sired manner. on the shaft is a gear I2 meshing with a gear |3, the latter meshing with a gear l4. Another corresponding gear I5, on shaft |5a., meshes with the gear l2. At I6 is shown one of two bed rack engaging gears. Connecting rods H are coupled with the gears I4 and l5 and operate mechanisms for reversing the bed I8; the bed being otherwise driven by the gears l6, engaging racks of the bed, all as is taught in said prior application.

On the shaft I9 of the gear I4 is another gear |4a located at one side of the press, which meshes with gear 20, the latter in turn meshing with gear 2|. on shaft 22. On the shaft 22 is arranged an impression cylinder 23 operating in conjunction with the bed |8, an eccentric 24 being provided to move the cylinder 23 toward and from the bed as will be apparent.

At 25 is diagrammatically illustrated a main inking mechanism for the bed which is disposed at one side of the cylinder 23, and including the smoother roll25a. At said side of the cylinder is a pivoted feed table 26 which may be swung upwardly on the pivot 21 to give access to the inking mechanism as at 25. Upon the shaft is arranged a pulley 28 around which passes a belt 29, the latter passing around a pulley 30 on a shaft 3|. The shaft 3| may constitute an electric motor drive shaft to actuate the shaft II. On the shaft |5a is arranged a gear, indicated at |5b, which meshes with gear 32 on cam shaft 33. This cam shaft is utilized as a means for actuating the various eccentric and other timed mechanisms of the press which are not illustrated as they form no specific part of the present invention.

At 34 is shown part of the delivery which is arranged upon a pivot 35 to swing to one side of the machine to render the bed 18 of the press freely accessible.

Arranged slightly above and to the right of the cylinder 23, as viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, are two shafts 36, 31, the axes of which, with respect to the axis of the shaft 22, are arranged at a predetermined angle approximately 30 with-respect to the horizontal face of the bed. Th s arrangement of these shafts will provide a large space or opening above the bed at this side of the press to render the bed readily accessible as will be apparent. On the shaft 36 is arranged a transfer member 38 having an eccentric 33 for moving the same toward and from the impression cylinder 23, the grippers of the member 33 being shown at 40. On the shaft 31 is arranged a rotary impression cylinder 4| having an eccentric 42 to move the cylinder 4| toward and from a rotary form cylinder 43 which is arranged upon a shaft 44, having split bearing supports for detachable mounting of said shaft. Grippers 45 are arranged at the periphery of the cylinder 4|, and as customary, corresponding grippers 46 are arranged on the cylinder 23. The shafts 36, 31. 44, are driven from the shaft 22 through a gear train as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1a, at the ratio of three to two; that is to say, on each two revolutions of the cylinder 23, the cylinders 43, 4|, and 43-will be rotated three revolutions.

An inking mechanism 41 is provided for the cylinder 43, and suitable means may be provided for operating and tripping this mechanism as is known in the art.

Driven from the gear of the shaft 37 is a sprocket and chain delivery mechanism 43 of such length as to pick up through the medium of grippers 49 the printed sheet as it is delivcred from the cylinder 4|, and to convey this sheet over the delivery pile 34, suitable mechanisms being provided to open grippers 49 when the sheet is disposed over the pile of the delivery as will be apparent.

The sprocket and chain delivery mechanism is mounted to swing about the axis 50 into a raised position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in rendering the bed I8 accessible.

In the diagrammatic showing of Fig. la of the drawings, part of the gear 2| on the shaft 22 is illustrated. This gear in turn meshes with a gear 5| on the shaft 36; the gear 5| meshes with the gear 52 on the shaft 31, and the latter gear meshes with the gear 53 on the shaft 44. This establishes the fixed gear train between the shafts of the various members 23, 38, 4|, and 43, in establishing the ratio of drive between the cylinders.

In Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive I have diagrammatically illustrated the passage of a worksheet 54 through the press. In Fig. 2 the worksheet is introduced between the cylinders 23-38, being picked up by the gripper 46. It might be mentioned at this time that at this particular cycle, a previously entered and finally printed sheet is being delivered from the press as indicated by the heavy dotted lines at 54a, the sheet having been picked up by the gripper 49 of the sprocket and chain delivery mechanism in feeding the worksheet over the delivery 34, upon which the sheets are piled as is indicated in part in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings is illustrated the beginning of the printing operation upon the sheet 54, between the impression cylinder 23 and the bed l8. In this position of the cylinders, the cylinder 38 is preferably moved out of engagement with the cylinder 23, and the cylinder 4| is moved out of engagement with the cylinder 43. While the clearances provided are slight, these clearances are exaggerated in the diagrammatic illustration in this as well as the other figures. From this position, the printing operation continues as is indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, in which position the cylinder 38 is again moved into engagement with the cylinder 23. After completion of the printing operation, the printed sheet 54 is then picked up by the gripper 40 of the transfer cylinder 38 at the position of the cylinders as seen in Fig. 5. Thereafter, the cylinder 23 is moved upwardly out of engagement with the bed Ill. The sheet is then transferred from the cylinder 38 to the impression cylinder 4| engaged by the gripper 45 of said cylinder, which position of the parts is illustrated in Fig. 6; and in this position, the cylinder 4| is moved into engagement with the cylinder 43. With the various cylinders in this last named position, the sheet 54 is passed between the cylinders 4|, 43, and receives its second printing or other operation; and immediately after the position illustrated in Fig. 7, the printed sheet 54 is picked up by the gripper 49 of thedelivery mechanism 48 and conveys the printed sheet over and drops it face up upon the pile of the delivery 34. During this last operation, the next successive sheet is introduced between the members 23, 38, and the above cycle of operation is repeated.

From the foregoing it will appear that immediately upon the completion of the second printing operation upon the worksheet, a new worksheet is introduced into the machine.

tural arrangement, I still provide sufficient clearance above the bed to render the'bed clearly accessible below the members 38, 4|, as will readily appear from a consideration of Fig. l of the drawings. It will be noted that the work sheet in passing from the bed cylinder to the rotary cylinder is not turned over, thereby avoiding smutting. In addition to the foregoing, it will be apparent that an independent impression surface is provided for each form.

It will be apparent that the illustrations in the accompanying drawings'are made diagrammatic and without regard to the particular relationship of the parts. makethe press operation clear to those skilled in the art. It is customary to arrange the gear train comprising the gears Ma, 21!. 2|, 5|, 52, and 53, at one side of the press; and usually outwardly of the frame structure of the press, whereas the bed driving mechanism is disclosed within the frame structure of the press, and the other operating mechanisms arranged in accordance with the usual or conventional practices in press design. In view of the fact that these structures are well known in the art, the drawings have been simplified in order to more clearly emphasize the distinctive structural features of the press.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

' l. A printing press comprising in combination, a reciprocating bed, a two revolution impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, the press having a feed at one end and a delivery at the other end thereof, a rotary plate cylinder arranged at the delivery end of the press entirely above said impression cylinder, a second impression cylinder arranged'be'neath the plate cylinder and coacting therewith, all of said cylinders having relatively fixed axes, means establishing a positive drive between said cylinders, and means conveying a sheet from the first named impression cylinder to the plate cylinder and second mentioned impression cylinder without turningsaid sheet over.

2. A printing press comprising in combination, a reciprocating bed, a two revolution impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, the press having a feed at one end and a deliveryat the other end thereof, a rotary plate cylinder arranged at the delivery end of the press entirely above said impression cylinder, a second impression cylinder arranged beneath the plate cylinder and coacting therewith, all of'said cylinders having relatively fixed axes, means establishing a positive drive between said cylinders, meansconveying a sheet from the first named-impression cylinder to the plate cylinder and second mentioned impression cylinder without turning said sheet over, and said last named means comprising transfer grippers movable relatively to both of said impression cylinders.

3. A printing press comprising in combination,

The showing is sufiicient to a reciprocating bed, a two revolutionv impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, the press having afeed atone end and a delivery at the other end thereof, a. rotary plate cylinder arranged at the delivery and of the press entirely above said impression cylinder, a second impression cylinder arranged beneath the plate cylinder and, coacting therewith, all of said cylinders having. relatively fixed axes, means establishing a positive drive between said cylinders, means.

conveying a sheet fro-m the first named impression cylinder to the plate cylinder and second mentioned impression cylinder without turning said sheet over, said delivery being swingably supported at the delivery end of the press and in spaced relation to said cylinders, and means comprising grippers arranged on an endless conveyor at thev delivery end or the press for transferring a. printed sheet from the second named impression cylinder to said delivery.

4. A printing press comprising in combination, a reciprocating bed, a two revolution impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, the

' press having a feed, at one end and a delivery at the other end thereof; a rotary plate cylinder arranged at-the' delivery end ofthe press en tirely above said impression cylinder, a second impression cylinder arranged beneath the plate cylinder and coacting therewith, all of said cylinders having relatively fixed axes, means establishing a positive drive between said cylinders,

, means conveying a sheet from the first named impression cylinder to the-plate cylinder and second mentioned impression cylinder without press having a feed at one end and a delivery at the other end thereof, a rotary plate cylinder ar- "ranged at the delivery end of the press entirely above said impression cylinder, a second impression cylinder arranged beneath the plate cylinder and coacting therewith, all of said cylinders having relatively fixed axes, means establishin apositive drive between said cylinders, means con- Vcying a sheet from the first named impression cylinder to the plate cylinder: and second mentioned impression cylinder without turning said,

sheet over, inking means for the bed at the feed end ofthe press, said feed comprising'a table movably supported over said last named means to give access thereto, and other inking means for the rotary plate cylinderarranged above and in spaced relation to said first named impressionv cylinder.

6. In a printing press, a reciprocating flat bed, a two revolution primary impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, a three revoe lution rotary plate cylinder arranged at one side of and in its entirety spaced above said primary cylinder, a three revolution secondary impression cylinder arranged below the plate cylinder with the axis thereof in vertical alinement with the axis of said plate cylinder, said secondary cylinder and plate cylinder being relatively movable, said secondary cylinder being, for the mast part, arranged above and in, spaced relation to the primary cylinder, a transfer member movable between the primary and secondary cylinders, all of said cylinders and the member having a fixed axes, and a gear train for rotating the cylinders at the ratio named.

7. In a printing press comprising a reciprocating fiat bed with a two revolution primary impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, a secondary impression cylinder a 1'0- tary plate cylinder arranged directly above the secondary cylinder and in its entirety above and at one side of the primary cylinder, the major portion of the secondary cylinder being arranged above the upper surface of the primary cylinder to provide at said side of the primary cylinder and above the bed a large space providing accessibility to the bed, a transfer member interpesed between the primary and secondary cylinders and movable relatively thereto, and said secondary cylinderand plate cylinder beinb relatively movable.

8. In a printing press comprising a reciprocating fiat bed with a two revolution primary impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, a secondary impression cylinder, a rotary plate cylinder arranged directly above the secondary cylinder and in its entirety above and at one'side of the primary cylinder, the major portion of the secondary cylinder being arranged above the upper surface of the primary cylinder to provide at said side of the primary cylinder and above the bed a large space providing accessibility to the bed, a transfer member interposed between the primary and secondary cylinders and movable relatively thereto, said secondary cylinder and plate cylinder being relatively movable, a delivery at said side of the primary cylinder and beyond the limit of movement of said bed, means adjacent the secondary cylinder for transferring a printed sheet therefrom to said delivery, and said last named means and the delivery being both movably supported to give access to the bed at said side of the primary cylinder.

9. In a printing press comprising a reciprocating flat bed with a two revolution primary impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, a secondary impression cylinder, a rotary plate cylinder arranged directly above the secondary cylinder and in its entirety above and at one side of the primary cylinder, the major portion of the secondary cylinder being arranged above the upper surface of the primary cylinder to provide at said side of the primary cylinder and above the bed a large space providing accessibility to the bed, a transfer member interposed between the primary and secondary cylinders and movable relatively thereto, said secondary cylinder and plate cylinder being relatively mov able, all of said cylinders and said member having relatively fixed axes, a gear train for said axes, and inking means arranged above and in spaced relation to the primary and secondary cylinder, and cooperating with the rotary plate cylinder.

10. In a printing press, a reciprocating bed, a two revolution primary impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, in combination with a three revolution rotary plate cylinder and a three revolution secondary impression cylinder movable toward and from the rotary plate cylinder, said secondary cylinder and plate cylinder having axes disposed in common vertical alinement and spaced to one side of the axis of the primary cylinder, and means interposed between and having an axis alined with the axis of said-primary and secondary cylinders and movable relatively to said cylinders for transferring a sheet from the primary to the secondary cylinder.

11. In a printing press, a reciprocating bed, a two revolution primary impression cylinder movable toward and from the bed, in combination with a three revolution rotary plate cylinder and a three revolution secondary impression cylinder movable toward and from the rotary plate cylinder, said secondary cylinder and plate cylinder having axes disposed in common vertical alinement and spaced to one side of the axis of the primary cylinder, means interposed between and having an axis aligned with the axis of said primary and secondary cylinders and movable relatively to said cylinders for transferring a sheet from the primary to the secondary cylinder, a delivery at said side of the primary cylinder beyond the limits of bed movement, and means comprising an endless conveyor arranged over said delivery and having grippers for trans ferring a printed sheet from the secondary cylinder to said delivery.

12. In a flat bed printing press, comprising a reciprocating bed, a primary impression cylinder centralized above the bed with respect to reciprocation thereof and movable toward and from said bed, said primary cylinder being rotated two revolutions in each cycle of press operation, a rotary plate cylinder arranged in its entirety above and to one side of the primary cylinder, a sec ondary impression cylinder arranged directly below the plate cylinder and for the major part above the upper surface of the primary cylinder, said secondary cylinder being movable toward and from the plate cylinder, and a transfermechanism intermediate the primary and secondary cylinders and movable relatively to-at least one of said cylinders.

WILLIAM M. KELLY. 

